


Holonovel Memories

by Talvenhenki



Category: Star Trek: Picard
Genre: Based on EnigmaTM's idea that The Musketeers was a holonovel on Ibn Majid, Cristóbal has so many bad memories ok, Gen, References to The Musketeers, Reminiscing, kind of sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22911940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talvenhenki/pseuds/Talvenhenki
Summary: Elnor and Cristóbal have a conversation on The Three Musketeers and playing holonovels
Comments: 24
Kudos: 67





	Holonovel Memories

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Enigma_TM](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enigma_TM/gifts).



> I got the idea from Enigma TM and ran wild as I usually do, sorry Enigma. I hope y'all enjoy it though :D

“Who are those people?”

Cristóbal turned to look at the source of the voice and, to his surprise, found Elnor’s dark eyes staring at him. Cristóbal had been looking at some old photos and reminiscing of the times when he was aboard the _ibn Mājid_ as its first officer. He’d remembered a particularly fun week he’d had, when they’d been docked on a space station for maintenance and someone from the crew had suggested they play a holonovel of _The Three Musketeers_. Cristóbal had had the time of his life playing as Aramis, his favourite musketeer who had been made a Spaniard in the holonovel.

“My old crewmates and me”, Cristóbal said quietly, “we were playing a holonovel.”

“What is a holonovel?” Dear gods in heaven, Cristóbal hadn’t agreed to babysit a Romulan who knew nothing of the world. How could he not know what a holonovel was if he’d been on a starship? _You know, he was only being evacuated_ , said a tiny voice in Cristóbal’s head, _of course he couldn’t know the luxuries of ships like ibn Mājid._

“It’s a story where you can play as one of the characters”, Cristóbal explained and showed Elnor a better photo of their gang of musketeers. “We were doing _The Three Musketeers_ and I was playing as Aramis. That’s me on the right; the one with the big smile and a feather on his hat.”

“You don’t smile anymore.”

Cristóbal didn’t answer. He wasn’t going to explain to that boy what had made him what he was and why he could only see his friends in photos. The boy was too innocent to know the horrors of ibn Mājid’s destruction that still haunted Cristóbal’s dreams. He was too young to hear about the blood and brains that had been splattered over the bulkhead and the way how Cristóbal’s captain had been humiliated even in death.

“I know”, Cristóbal mumbled.

“Admiral Picard gave me The Three Musketeers when I was little”, Elnor told him suddenly. “I’d like to play a holonovel as d’Artagnan. He was always my favourite musketeer.”

“I always liked Aramis myself”, Cristóbal said, “I guess I’m drawn to characters who are a little annoying.”

“Do you think I could play The Three Musketeers one day?”

Cristóbal had to stop himself from smiling. Elnor would be a perfect d’Artagnan with his naïveté and youth. He even looked a bit like Charlie, the crewman who’d played d’Artagnan on ibn Mājid’s holodeck. Yes, he’d make a great d’Artagnan.

“We do have a holodeck on board, although your admiral has made it his headquarters.”

Cristóbal would have loved to play that holonovel once again. He would have wanted to play it with his friends, but he supposed Elnor would make do just fine. He would end up having to explain much to the kid if they were to play out the same story Cristóbal had played.

“I’d like to try it out”, Elnor said and then turned to look at the photo. “Do you have more photos of your holonovel game?”

Cristóbal nodded and swiped at the hologram slideshow. First there was an image of Charlie in that d’Artagnan costume and the next one was of himself as Aramis, Daniel as Athos, and Max as Porthos. All of them were smiling widely, having no clue of what would come to pass in the months after. Then there was a photo of Amber in her Constance Bonacieux dress. Then one with Laura as the queen and Edith as Milady de Winter.

It was odd to see so many smiling faces when Cristóbal knew that only Max had made it out alive. All the others were gone for good, even Laura whom Cristóbal had very nearly begun a relationship with.

“Something is making you sad”, Elnor said. Cristóbal very nearly cursed the Way of Absolute Candour out loud.

“The memories”, Cristóbal explained. When Elnor looked thoroughly confused, he continued, “most of these people are gone. The ship was destroyed and only a handful of us managed to escape. From these photos only Max and I are left. All the others are gone.”

“All of them?” Cristóbal nodded. “That’s terrible.”

It was. Cristóbal still remembered seeing some of their broken bodies as he’d ran through the ship to make sure everyone who had still been alive, were in their escape pods or already evacuated. He remembered wanting to stop to help Laura even though he’d already known she was gone judging by the unnatural angle of her neck.

“You don’t wish to talk about it”, Elnor said. His words snapped Cristóbal back to the reality and away from those terrible memories. He was feeling weak and shaken and suddenly he wanted nothing more than to curl into a corner and pretend none of it had happened.

“I don’t”, Cristóbal agreed, “but I can try to set up that holonovel for you. You’d make a great d’Artagnan.”

Elnor smiled. His smile was one of those that blinded anyone in its vicinity by the amount of sheer happiness that it showed. It was a good fit to him, as someone who was always to follow the Way of Absolute Candour.

“Only if you’ll teach me how to play it”, Elnor said, “I think I’ll need you there as Aramis.”

Cristóbal nodded. Maybe they could make the others join in too…

**Author's Note:**

> Comments fuel my soul!


End file.
